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Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Sweet potato corn chowder made with crispy bacon, simmered sweet potatoes, and sweet corn for a creamy, spoon-thick texture. Partially blend the pot to create body without losing chunks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet potatoes
  • 2 sweet potatoes large, peeled and cubed
Corn
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
Bacon
  • 6 strips bacon diced
Aromatics
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Broth and dairy
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Spices
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne
To serve
  • 1 green onions for serving
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 oyster crackers for serving
Seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook bacon and build the base
  1. Cook the diced bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes, then remove it and leave 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the diced onion and celery in the bacon fat for 4 minutes, stirring until softened, then add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Whisk in the flour and gradually pour in the broth while stirring to smooth out any lumps.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are tender.
  2. Add the corn kernels and heavy cream and simmer for 8 minutes, letting the chowder look creamy and lightly thickened.
  3. Partially blend the chowder for a thicker texture, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Ladle the chowder into bowls and top each serving with the crispy bacon, green onions, and a spoon of sour cream, with oyster crackers on the side.

Notes

For a thicker chowder without over-blending, blend just 1–2 cups of the soup and return it to the pot, keeping plenty of sweet potato chunks. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (best texture after thawing and reheating gently). For a dairy-light option, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, and consider using vegetable broth for vegetarian chowder.